Numbers end of December/ Different Focus

 Here are my numbers from the end of December:

Km’s- 3202 KM’s ran, walked, jogged, biked, rowed

AOK’s- 1496

Push-Ups/Sit-Ups- 48,525

Drunken Form- 655

Katana w/ scabbard- 770

Sparring- 781 minutes

Blogs- 70 (not including this one)

         Aside from my Kung Fu training, I have still been going to the gym.  I’ve switched up the way I train, shifting from working on hypertrophy to focusing more on whole body strength and conditioning.  More compound movements that translate to athletic performance and everyday activities.  When I do the strength training my focus is no longer on performing heavier lifts, but on building that mind-body connection.  Making sure I’m activating the muscles I want to use and focused on slow and smooth motions both on the concentric and eccentric motions.

        I know eventually it’s going to be hard to maintain the amount of muscle mass I have, and whenever I have my surgery I’m sure I’ll lose some progress and take a while to get back somewhere near my performance before.  So I’ve started adapting now.  I still think it’s important to incorporate strength training in my life, there is a lot of value to it, but it doesn’t have to be about being able to lift heavy.  Strength training is about maintaining muscle mass and strong bones, moving your body, supporting metabolism, and aging gracefully.

         The shift in training has also been refreshing.  It’s good to change-up the routine every now and then to stay motivated and to grow.   It is still very ingrained in my Kung Fu training too, supporting it.